Furry pets, especially dogs and cats, are supposed to have a positive effect on our health, but this is not necessarily the case. Let's see how pets affect health!
How pets affect health: Dogs and cats have a positive effect on our mental health, as many studies have shown in recent years. However, they are not unanimous regarding their impact on our cognitive health, which becomes increasingly vulnerable as we age. Time takes its toll on the human brain, the organ most subject to the natural changes of aging.
Cognitive abilities are reduced as the brain undergoes subtle shrinkage. In an effort to maintain mental sharpness over the years, many consider pets, which are proven to have a positive impact on the social and mental aspects of their owners, regardless of their owner's age. Research on the topic of aging, however, has yielded a range of mixed results.
Photo: Unsplash/Library of Congress#1 Study
A study published in 2019 led by Nicola Veronese and an international team of researchers delved into the link between pet ownership and cognitive changes in the elderly.
Analyzing data from more than 8,000 adults in the Study of Aging, researchers examined the six-year development of memory and verbal expression in dog, cat and non-pet owners. Surprisingly, the findings showed that dog owners fared worse than their non-pet counterparts.
#2 Study
In 2022, Sandra Branson and Stanley Cron conducted a study to determine whether caring for pets affected cognitive decline. Their study, published in Anthrozoa, included 673 pet caregivers and 1,578 individuals without pets.
Contrary to expectations, the research found that caring for pets had no significant effect on the likelihood of dementia.
Photo: Unsplash/Kari Shea#3 Study
In her analysis of pre-existing data, Jennifer Applebaum of the University of Florida investigated changes in cognitive abilities among 1,369 pet owners and non-owners. An interesting twist in her findings was the classification of pet owners into two groups. Long-term pet owners (more than five years) and short-term pet owners.
This approach revealed that some long-term pet owners showed sharper cognitive abilities. In which the duration of ownership played an important role.
Photo: Unsplash/Raychan#4 Study
In a 2023 study, Japanese researchers focused on 11,194 elderly residents participating in the Ota Genki Senior Project.
The results were astounding: four years after the first assessment, current dog owners were 40 percent less likely to develop dementia. Interestingly, cat ownership had no significant effect on dementia.
#5 Study
The latest study, led by Erika Friedmann and Nancy Gee, delved into the cognitive measurements of 637 adults with dogs and cats, as well as people without pets.
The subjects, who were characterized by high education, marital status and good economic status, did not show any cognitive disorders at the beginning. However, the study found that both pets and dog walking contribute to better mental functioning.
